The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it may be described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present technology.
SUVs, pick-up trucks, and similar vehicles may sometimes be used in an aggressive manner. For example, users of pick-up trucks are known to stand on a rear bumper assembly in order to load, unload, or otherwise gain access into a truck bed portion. Thus, rear bumper assemblies should be designed not only to serve as energy absorbing devices during a collision or impact with another object or vehicle, commonly involving forces exerted in a substantially horizontal direction, but should also be designed to withstand the downward forces exerted when a user places a weight or load on at least a portion of the bumper assembly.
Current technology bumper covers, or bumper fascia, often revert back to their original shape after an impact. Accordingly, a visual inspection of the bumper fascia and exterior of a bumper assembly after a collision, or other impact, may not properly expose or otherwise indicate a compromise of the structural integrity of components. Subsequent standing on a compromised bumper assembly, or other application of a downward load or force similar to a user standing on the bumper, could result in the bumper assembly not being able to meet the load requirements.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved assembly and methods for detecting when structural components of energy absorbing devices and/or reinforcing components are compromised.